Friday Bits and Bobs

Yesterday was National Puppy Day!!

A few really good news pieces in the round up this week, and because it was National Puppy Day yesterday, a couple of pics of our latest pup addition.

And as I mentioned yesterday, I’ll talk about the new IPCC synthesis climate report next week, so I’m not covering it here.

—

Canada now requires banks to submit ‘climate transition plans’, and to disclose its risks and emissions associated with their loans, bonds, and mortgages. A significant change for the banking industry in Canada, and I think a sign of things to come for other (perhaps neighboring?) countries soon.

Essentially, it means that Canadian financial institutions have to know the climate impact and risk of their investments. Seems like an incredibly sensible move, and ultimately protects regular ol’ customers like you and me (if we were Canadian, I mean).

—

I’ve written about the importance and challenge of corals before, but a new study suggests some hopeful outcomes. In an experiment, certain corals exposed to consistently higher (2C) water temperatures and to a more acidic ocean environment, such as we expect over the coming decades, not only survived but seemed to thrive. Lots of caveats here, but a good sign that the predicted 99% decline in worldwide coral might have some wiggle room.

—

The last year that Britain used so little coal was 1757 according to a new report by Carbon Brief. The Industrial Revolution hadn’t even started in 1757! Coal use has been falling since the Clean Air Act, but recent pledges around climate change are also helping. Overall greenhouse gas emissions in the UK are 49% below 1990 levels even as the economy has grown by 75% in that time. Greenhouse gas reduction CAN BE DONE even in large economies.

(Though I’m sure it doesn’t feel like the economy has grown by that much if you live in the UK at the moment!)

—

Finally, for National Puppy day, here is Betty Biscuit when she was a puppy. She was a stray and instantly fit right into our family. She is now 3 years old and still only about twice this size! Though way fluffier.